Tiesj Benoot evaluates as stage 5 shakes up the GC: "We were able to put pressure on UAE Emirates"

Tiesj Benoot had hoped to play an important role in the final of the fifth stage of the Tour de France ahead of the unleashed Jonas Vingegaard, but the Jumbo-Visma leader passed his teammate well before the top of the Col de Marie Blanque.

"Our plan was to be up there with a few riders, which were Wout Van Aert, Christophe Laporte and me. We were able to put pressure on UAE Emirates. Jai Hindley was also there, which was less ideal for us, but that did put UAE under even more pressure," Benoot looks back with Sporza. "They had to ride. Despite the fact that we turned well in the front, the gap never became four or five minutes."

"That made it a tough race and that was good for Jonas. I just didn't get over the top of the Marie Blanque myself, otherwise I could really help him," he says about the last climb of the day, where Vingegaard opened a big gap to Pogacar.

"We knew that today was a first chance. I think he is one of the best riders uphill," said Benoot with a wink about Vingegaard. Incidentally, the Belgian was surprised that Pogacar could not go with the Dane. "Especially because today Pogacar was in a better position, with the shorter climbs. And then certainly with that last climb."